Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1887-12-06
WOMEN AS NIGHT WORKERS.

Their Numbers I'm New York City Con.
stantly MISUNDERSTANDING for . Car.
The number is well nigh legion, in big
city like New York, of women and girls
whose daily tasks keep them from home
after dark, and VINO make their way
through the streets alone with impunity.
The belated traveller meets them, singly
and in groups. at the bridge and ferries at
all hours from early dark till long past
midnight, and. il he is ont himself, toward
morning Some of them-not very many
set type in newspaper offices, though
they are supposed not to, and there is
respectable minority in a great variety OF
trades and occupations, but the vast body
of them are clerks and cashiers in the big
stores, whose labors during the busy sea-
son Keep them away from home late at
night. Even in stores where there is an
early closing rule. the purchasers are
not got rid of till q O'Clock when there is
still the work of clearing up the days de-
bris 10 be done, and there is no pretense OF
closing on Saturday evenings or during
the holidays. Midnight very frequently
overtakes the toiler at the counter with
her tasks unfinished, and there are occa-
sions when nearly the whole night must
he spent in preparation for some special
coup Of trade.
The woman doctor is out at all hours,
of course. and | have met a medical stu
dent of barely 90 trudging along at 2
O'Clock in the morning, while the falling
rain almost blinded her her hand on this
shoulder of a ragged Lad Of 10, who wss
conducting her to Il sick bed in the east
side tenement region.
II is good deal TO the credit Of the
metropolis that as rule these girls are
nearly as safe from rudencss as in the
daylight. They are modest and unob-
trusive in appearance, they mind their
own business and have ways TO make the
would be masher mind his. From night
toilers of the other seX-men and boys
who are out q night on errands of neces-
sity-they have little To fear. The work
ingman or boy may be rude when he is
drunk and sometimes when he is not, but
he is seldom persistent and not often in
tentionally troublesome.
This growing frequency Of night en-
ployment for women means a tremendous
change in the once accepted notions and
| opinions Of mankind. The judge who de-
clares from the bench that woman has
no business TO be abroad after dark is yet
| heard from once in a while, but the ana
Srighteous Indignation. Twas talking with
| a night worker masculine the other day
about this very topic. He said that he
had often lost his horse car and had to
wait half hour for another in the wee
| small hours because of his reluctance to
| let a fellow worker feminine grope alone
for her car in the muddy streets. Despite
this experience, which is enough to make
| any but the most sweet tempered man
conservative, he spoke most enthusiast
! cally of the effect likely to be produced
upon women, especially young women. by
self supporting habits and said he looked
to see them gain in worth and dignity
and practical knowledge by contact with
practical necessities The working girl
will never be wholly practical, however,
So long as she permits man TO lose his
own car while finding hers unless she has
reasons 10 suspect that the service is u
pleasure to him.
The more nearly even the terms upon
which women and men conduct their daily
business the better il is for the business
woman probably.-New York Cor. Wash
ington Post.